Technology can be intimidating, but we do our best to make technology understandable, interesting and even fun. We'll look at not just computers and cell phones, but gadgets, how-to, tech news and sometimes I'll just showcase an item I think is cool.

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Monday, August 30, 2010

Why is my computer growing hair?

Please tell me this is not your computer!
BTW, that's not carpeting covering the vents in this
photo.

When was the last time you looked at the back of your desktop computer?

Yep- that's what I thought. It was the day you got it and plugged in all of the cables, wasn't it? How long has that been? A year? Two? Five?

I bet if you look back there right now, you'll see a bunch of dust and fluff blocking the fan vent. Go ahead, check. I'll wait...

Yuck. Pretty clogged, isn't it? Those vents need to be clear in order to provide the cooling your computer needs to run efficiently and for a long time. Failure to keep these holes free of dust and gunk means your baby may overheat and greatly shorten the life of your desktop.

What to do? Go here for tips on cleaning all of your computer- case, mouse, keyboard, screen- all of it. You just might extend the life of your computer by several years, saving you a good bit of cash in the process.